Toshiba today expanded its 1.8-inch lineup with the MKxx29GSG series which include three new high-capacity, Serial ATA HDDs for mobile PC applications.

The new series of HDDs include the 250GB 1.8-inch HDD.

Toshiba's third-generation 5,400 RPM SATA 1.8 HDD family also features 120GB and 160GB capacities, along with the fast data transfer rate of the SATA 3.0 Gb/s interface.

In addition, the MKxx29GSG series offers a Toshiba's free fall sensor option, which enhances protection from external shock and vibration events.

Toshiba's concentration on the 1.8-inch HDD platform have enabled the company to continually push areal densities to 378.8Gb/in2 in the new series and deliver storage capacities that were previously available only from larger form factor HDDs, while decreasing the power consumption required by the storage device. The MK2529GSG achieves a low energy consumption efficiency of 0.0016 watts-per- GB.

"Portable PCs continue to make the transition to the SATA interface. IDC estimates that 84 percent of mobile HDD shipments in the second quarter of 2008 were SATA," said John Rydning, research director at IDC. "Toshiba?s implementation of SATA 3.0 GB/s for its new 1.8- inch HDD product line will facilitate adoption in a broad range of portable PC form factors."

In addition, Toshiba has discontinued use of certain chemical substances across all of its HDDs and has eliminated specified hazardous halogens in this new product series.

Toshiba's new family of 1.8-inch HDDs will begin volume shipment to PC manufacturers and distribution partners in December.

Specifications

Model Number: MKxx29GSG Series
Maximum Capacity (Formatted): 250GB/160GB/120GB
Number of platters: 2/2/1
Areal density: Up to 378.8Gb/in2
Media transfer rate: Up to 707.9 Mbps
Average seek time: 15 ms
Rotational speed: 5, 400 RPM
Buffer memory : 8MB

Interface:
SATA 3.0 Gb/s (and SATA 1.5 Gb/s)
Serial ATA Revision 2.6 (ATA-8)

Interface transfer rate: 3.0 Gb/sec
External dimensions (WxDxH; mm): 54.0mm x 78.5mm x 8.0mm
Weight (g): 62/62/60g (max.)
Energy consumption efficiency: 0.0016 / 0.0025 / 0.0033 W/GB

Shock resistance:
Operating 4,900 m/s2 (500G, 2ms)
Non-operating 14,700m/s2 (1,500G, 1ms)